Best Website Builders to Create a Website for Free
Can you really build a website for free? Yes – creating a website for free in 2025 is absolutely possible. Many popular platforms offer free plans that include hosting, an easy site editor and a ready-made subdomain. You can choose a template, customize it and publish your site without spending a cent.
But here’s the trade-off: free website builders almost always come with limitations. Your site may display platform branding, you might have restricted storage and traffic, and you won’t be able to connect your own domain name unless you upgrade. Advanced features like eCommerce, payments, or analytics are usually locked behind paid plans.
That’s why the real question isn’t whether you can build a free website – it’s what kind of free website you need. The answer will guide you to the right platform.
Unlike traditional site builders, WordPress itself is 100% free software – forever. You download it, install it somewhere and from there you’re in control. The free way to do this is with a free hosting provider like Bluehost or DreamHost. They let you install WordPress for free and give you a subdomain. That alone is enough to build a completely free website – with no platform branding and no limited editor.
Why WordPress Is the Best “Free + Long-Term” Solution
Full ownership of your website and files
Build any type of website: blog, portfolio, personal brand, store, etc.
11,000+ free themes and 59,000+ plugins available
Great for SEO, blogging, and content growth
You can expand later without rebuilding the site
What You Should Know First
Using WordPress for free does require a bit more setup than typical drag-and-drop builders. You’ll need to install and configure it yourself, which means spending a little time learning how the dashboard works.
If you’re using free hosting, you may also see small ads on your site or experience occasional uptime limitations, depending on the provider. Since you won’t have a custom domain unless you purchase one later, your site will start with a free subdomain.
And because WordPress is self-managed, things like security, backups, and updates are also your responsibility — important to keep in mind as your site grows.
Best For:
Bloggers and writers
Beginner web developers
Personal brands with long-term plans
Anyone who wants a website they fully control – even for free
WordPress gives you total freedom and true ownership, which makes it the best free platform if you’re thinking beyond a quick landing page.
Wix gives you a forever-free plan that lets you design, build, and publish a real website – with no time limit and no technical setup. You choose a template, edit it visually, and click “Publish.” You’re live. You can add text, images, videos, forms, buttons, social links, gallery sliders and a basic blog – all without paying.
What’s Limited on the Free Version
- Website shows a visible Wix banner
- You get a Wix subdomain (like username.wixsite.com/yourname)
- No online payments or eCommerce
- Storage and bandwidth are capped
What Makes Wix a Worthy Pick for a Free Website
Wix is a strong choice for building a free website because it offers one of the most user-friendly and feature-rich free plans available. With its drag-and-drop editor, you can design your site visually without needing any technical skills and the platform provides access to 900+ professionally designed templates that cover everything from personal profiles to small business sites.
Even on the free plan, you can add elements like contact forms, image galleries, videos, social links, and a basic blog. Plus, Wix handles all hosting and security for you, so you don’t have to worry about setup or maintenance.
While your site will display Wix branding and use a subdomain, the tools and creative freedom you get make it one of the most powerful ways to launch a professional, modern website at zero cost.
Best For:
Student portfolios or resumes
Hobby and personal blogs
Testing ideas before buying a domain
Basic small business or freelancer sites
If your goal is “I want a professional-looking site for $0 and I don’t want to learn tech,” Wix is the best option.
Wix is the number one website builder in the world. Many people choose it for its simplicity, functionality, reliability, and security. Even now, it is the most popular option for migrating websites from WordPress. There are even specialized services dedicated exclusively to transferring websites from WordPress to Wix — for example, WordPressToWix.PRO. If someone feels limited by WordPress or tired of dealing with it, the Wix website builder is the best alternative.
uKit does not offer a permanent free hosted website like Wix – but it gives you 14 days to build a fully functional website with all features unlocked. You can design your site, preview it live, and then choose if you want to activate it. This makes uKit ideal if you’re deciding between platforms and want to see results before spending.
Why uKit Is Worth a Trial
- Full-access trial with no credit card required
- Templates focused on personal sites, freelancers and service businesses
- Extremely simple editor – faster than Wix or WordPress
- Mobile version is generated automatically
- Great for beginners who want something quick and not overwhelming
What Happens After the Trial
Once the 14-day free trial ends, your website won’t stay online unless you upgrade to a paid plan. The design and content you created will still be saved in your account, but it won’t be publicly accessible until you choose a subscription. You also won’t be able to connect a custom domain or enable features like SSL security without upgrading.
In other words, the trial lets you build and preview a complete site for free, but publishing it long-term requires switching to a paid plan. That’s why uKit is best for people who want to explore the platform fully before committing – you can create the entire website, share it with others, and only pay if you’re satisfied with the result.
Best For:
- Freelancers testing their first website
- First-time users comparing builders
- Students or professionals who want to see the full site before paying
- Anyone who wants to work fast and skip the tech stuff
uKit is ideal when you want to build today, decide later – instead of choosing blindly.
Quick Comparison for Free Use
If you want… | Best Platform |
A free website you own and can scale later The easiest free website with no setup To build a full site before paying A drag-and-drop designer Best free blogging system Fastest way to launch a presentable site | WordPress Wix uKit Wix WordPress Wix / uKit |
Free Doesn’t Mean “Low Quality” – But It Does Mean “Start Smart”
To get the most out of a free plan:
- Pick a template that already fits your style or category
- Create only essential pages (Home, About, Contact, Projects/Blog)
- Add real photos and short, clear copy
- Optimize for mobile first – traffic often starts there
- Add “Upgrade Later” features as you grow (custom domain, analytics, SEO tools, etc.)
A free website is not the finish line – it’s the starting point.
Conclusion
You don’t need a big budget to put your ideas, projects or business online – you just need the platform that matches your goals. If long-term ownership, flexibility, and room to grow are your top priorities, WordPress gives you the freedom to build and scale without limitations. If you’re looking for the fastest and simplest way to create a website without touching code, Wix is the easiest route, offering a reliable and visually polished free plan. And if you want to design a clean, professional site before spending anything, uKit lets you build first during a full-feature trial and decide later. No matter which path you choose, the most important step is to start.